Thursday, 30 March 2017

Celebrating 6 Years of Inspiring Change Through Learning

Keeping
It Real (KIR) Foundation celebrated its 6th year anniversary with the KIR
Foundation annual Prize Giving and Book Donation Day Project. The project was
organized at the Special School for Handicapped Children (SSHC) at Creek Road
in Port-Harcourt on Friday, the 3rd of February, 2017. The event took place in
the newly renovated dining hall of the school which was renovated by KIR
Foundation’s partners.

In
her opening remark, the Programs Manager of KIR Foundation, Melissa Okonny
stated that the objective of the Prize Giving and Book Donation Day which KIR
Foundation has been hosting since 2013 is to support and encourage students
with disabilities to stay in school and to become lifelong learners. KIR
Foundation promotes SDGs Goal 4 to improve quality education for persons with
disabilities.

In attendance were representatives
from the Ministry of Education, members of the Rotary Club, Port Harcourt, GRA Chapter
District 9140, members of the Joint National Association of Persons with
Disabilities (JONAPWD), Alumni of the School and the School Community. The
Special Guest of Honour was Rotarian Arthur Kalagbor, the President of Rotary
Club, Port Harcourt, GRA District 9140 in Rivers State. He urged the students
not to use their disabilities as an excuse for mediocrity but to take full
advantage of all the opportunities given to them. Furthermore, he commended KIR
Foundation for organizing educational and skill acquisition programs for the
students. Our special guest, Comrade Collins Akpanah, a visually impaired
businessman, using his own life story as an example reiterated that disability
should not be an alibi for failure in life.

The high point of the event was the
Prize giving to the best performing senior students of the school. The best
performing students in each class arm of the senior secondary school were recognized
Prizes and certificates were given to them. The overall best student was
Confidence Chikere, a Deaf student in senior secondary school 3. She was a
recipient of the Adebola Daniel Prize (http://deboladanielfoundation.org) which includes a brand new samsung J1
smart phone and the entire set of the WAEC Preparatory Examination Past
Question Papers Series. These will enable her adequately prepare for the
National exams. The best performing students of Senior Secondary One and Two
also received the WAEC Preparatory Examination Past Question Papers Series from
Adebola Daniel Foundation.

The
Executive Director of KIR Foundation, Bitebo Gogo speaking on the theme of the
event charged the students to take responsibility of their community by
ensuring that the ICT Resource Room and the newly renovated dining hall and
other facilities in the school are used in a sustainable manner.

Mr. Fred
Amakiri, the principal of the Special School for Handicapped Children stated
that KIR Foundation had been the most committed stakeholder in the school for
the past five years. The head girl of the school, Oluchi Nnorom expressed
gratitude to KIR Foundation and its partners for making a positive difference
in the lives of the students with disabilities. Furthermore, she stated that
participating in the after school academic project organized by KIR Foundation
has made her more confident and given her a better perspective of life despite
her hearing impairment.

An ICT
Resource Room was also commissioned for use on the same day. The ICT Resource
Room was set up by Small World International Women’s Organization for Charity
in partnership with KIR Foundation was commissioned for use. The ICT Resource
Room will enable the students of the Special School for Handicapped Children
(SSHC) prepare for Computer based examinations.